Infrequently Asked Questions

Is your name Cation?
No.

So what is your name, if not Cation?
Cindy. Or you could call me The Cationess, if you like fanciful titles.

Who or what is a cation?
A cation is a positively charged atom or molecule, i.e. one that has lost one or more electrons, and therefore has an imbalance of negative and positive charges. Since there are more protons than electrons, the overall charge is positive. The opposite would be an anion, which is negatively charged due to its having more electrons than protons. And if you need a handy graphic for remembering this, here's what I draw for all my students:

I'm sorry if you're allergic to cats and love onions, but I personally love cats and raw onions make me cry.

Well, now I know what it is, but how do you pronounce it?
Cation is pronounced "CAT-eye-un." Common mispronunciation: like "vacation" without the "va."Why did you choose it for a blog name?
Well, in case a page dedicated to the felines in my life wasn't enough of a clue, I love cats; specifically, I love Walnut. And I also love science, so I'm pretty sure "cation" is the most perfect word in the history of words. Also it was the first thing that came to mind.

What kind of cat is Walnut?
I've already answered this question on his page, but if you can't be bothered to go read it, he's a purebred Siberian. Many people ask if he's a Maine coon, but he's got papers to prove otherwise! We actually adopted him from Craigslist, and we're incredibly lucky that he just happened to be hypoallergenic to boot!

He's so fat.
No, he's fluffy! And I promise I'm not just being an adoring mom in denial -- if you squish his fur down (or just give him a bath), he compresses by two inches on either side. He's about 13 pounds, which is actually on the lower end for a full-grown male Siberian.

Okay, so you're kind of a crazy cat lady, and you like science. What else do you geek out about?
Lots of things! Books (especially SF/F), good food (but not cooking it...this isn't a recipe blog), the Civil War, Jonathan Coulton, Star Wars, cartoons from when I was young (Batman Beyond! Sailor Moon! Pinky and the Brain!), steampunk, dinosaurs, and any kind of event/subculture that involves getting dressed up in costumes. And sewing, obviously.

What is TCOCC?
The City of Culver City. It's such a pretentious, redundant name, I can't bear to call it just "Culver City." But I'm also lazy and don't want to type it all out, hence the abbreviation.

Where do you get your awesome bedsheets?
I love going thrift store shopping, and if you go to one with a bedding section often enough, chances are you, too, will find some stellar sheets! If you want thrift store recs for San Diego or TCOCC, I can give you some. Will you make me a _____(Star Wars, Superman, etc.) dress?
Dressmaking is only my hobby, but if you are willing to pay me and if I can get more fabric, then sure! That said, keep in mind that my dresses are made from rare fabric finds, take upwards of five hours, minimum wage in CA is ~$10 and I'm pretty sure that dressmaking is a skilled job and deserves more than minimum wage, and I would have to make a pattern to fit your measurements, which is even more time, so let's just say that if you want a Star Wars dress, it's not going to be at Forever 21 prices. If you're still interested, email me and we'll talk.

I want to learn to sew, too! How can I get started?
I'm entirely self-taught (with a lot of help from the internet), so teaching yourself to sew is totally possible! Take a look at this post for helpful tips on sewing, as well as links to resources online.

How long have you been sewing?
My mom taught me to use a sewing machine when I was very young, but I only used it on the rarest of occasions when I wanted to make pillowcases or blankets or other rectangular, straight-lines-only types of projects. I graduated to making plushies by hand post-college, but I didn't start sewing for real until 2010. I started by sewing a couple times a month, making lots of jersey knit shapeless dresses, elastic waist skirts, refashioned thrift store clothing, and lots of little zippered pouches. In May of 2011, fed up with the frustration I felt teaching ninth grade science, I decided to take this creative outlet to the next level and sew a "real" dress from a commercial pattern, with actual non-stretchy fabric and an invisible zipper and everything. It was a rousing success and I've been hooked ever since, averaging about a garment or two a week. I've learned a lot, but still have a long way to go!

I have another question that you haven't answered. How do I contact you?
Email me at cationdesignsblog at gmail dot com. I'd love to hear from you!

About Me

I'm an enthusiast of cats, geekery, sewing, and clothing made from thrifted sheets. Thanks for visiting my blog, and I'd love it if you left me a comment! Or you can contact me at cationdesignsblog at gmail.com